This is a question for all the motorcycle owners out there. I last owned/rode a bike 20+ years ago, and in response to my midlife crisis, I would like to ride again. After that long a time, I consider myself essentially a beginner again. My question is, what bike to buy?
A little more information. I don’t want a “crotch rocket”, I want something that won’t get away when I twist the throttle. I also want to sit upright, no leaning. I also need a seat with backrest that can carry a passenger (eventually).
I have looked at the Honda Shadow Spirit 750, the Harley Sportster 883 Custom, and the Kawasaki Vulcan 800 and 800 Classic. Does anyone have an opinion on any of these, good or bad? Or are there other bikes I should consider? Any information will be appreciated.
I’ve only ridden one of the bikes on the list, a (rented) Sportster - and I can’t say that I cared too much for it. It seemed heavy, unresponsive, sluggish - and then one of the mirrors rattled loose, which did nothing to endear it to me. Of course, rentals live a hard life - but even so, it just didn’t feel too well made. YMMV.
Then again, I’m really a bit more of a sportsbike/sportstourer character - current scoot is a Honda Interceptor.
Actually yes, you are helpful. I am looking for experiences and opinions, and yours counts. I do know that the new Sportsters use rubber motor mounts now, and that takes care of some of the rattling and vibration problems.
I’m a BIG fan of the Shadow. I own two myself. You just can’t beat that drive shaft action. It makes for the smoothest ride ever. And it’s low maintenece to boot!
FTR one of my bikes is a Honda Shadow Ace 700 87model. At 17yo I’ve NEVER had to put this bike in the shop. Other than routine stuff like brakes, oil change ect… I’ve owned this bike for 10 years personaly.
I’ve got a Honda Shadow 600, so it’s a bit smaller then the one you’re looking at. However, I love the little thing, even it will get up to highway speeds quickly. I have heard a lot of good things about the entire Shadow line and if I was looking into another cruiser I would really think about getting one.
I’ve also heard good things about the Yamaha Royal Star, though I’m not sure if they make one in the 700-800 range, though they might.
I think you should just sit on each one, see if you like how far the handlebars are, seat height and everything else fits then go from there.
If I hadn’t had my heart set on my YZF-R1, this is the bike I would have bought. It has a very comfortable seating position, has the low-maintenance shaft drive, and it’s unlikely you’ll grow out of it. A nice successor to the venerable FJ1200.
A former co-worker had a V-star that he liked a lot. It’s 40 cu. in. What is that? About 650cc? At under six kilobucks, it’s downright cheap. (While he liked it, he felt he is more suited to a sport-tourer.)
Glad to see you are thinking about joining the rest of us.
For your needs, a metric cruiser sounds like a great place to get back into the sport (if you want to call it that).
Kawasaki and Honda make great motorcycles that for the most part, are leaps and bounds beyond any Harley in technology, performance, and value. However, owning a Harley does come with the fringe benefits of the “Harley lifestyle”. It really just depends on what you want.
For around town enjoyment I would recommend a metric cruiser because the cost of entry is low.
Right now, you might be able to score a good deal on a Honda VTX since they aren’t moving as fast as Honda likes. Also, Honda usually has great financing deals if you aren’t paying cash and buyign new.
Whatever you decide, a Motorcycle Safety Foundation course might be a good start too. It will let you get used to riding again with someone else’s bike while relearning the ropes.
I ride a BMW 1150R Rockster having owned a Ducati Monster before. I couldn’t be happier with my BMW, but they are an aquired taste that is hard to recommend to others because they don’t stand out in any objective and measurable quality.
My husband was a mid-life-return-to-riding kinda guy, and he has a Royal Star. I think it’s a 1400. He chose it because it’s heavier, therefore more comfortable for him to ride, and he likes the power. Granted, he’s a big guy, so he prefers a bigger bike. I’m not a big fan of riding along, but when we do go together, the Royal Star can more than handle both of us.
He was going to sell it, but that idea fizzled pretty quick, so I can’t offer to make you a deal.
I got to sit on a Vulcan 800 Drifter today. Very nice. I also found out a friend bought a new ride last week. I’m going to look him up and see what he bought. Going to check out the Honda tomorrow.
For what you descriped, the Nighthawk 750 is the bike for you. Probably find a used one for pennys. Will last longer than you will want to own it. Available is at least 3 snappy colors, if blue, red and black are snappy. So fault-less to the point of being boring.
Sportsters are junk, In My Humble Opinion. Overpriced junk to boot.
I had a accident when I was 11 on a Yamaha 100 that put 130 stitches in my head.
Between 15 and 30 years old, I road dirt bikes. Loved them.
My brother had a 75 Yamaha 650. I loved that thing. So 2 years ago, I bought a ’78 Yamaha 650 ($200) and started to put it back together (it was in boxes). It runs now, but does have a few issues (the crank is 180 degrees off [previous owner rebuilt the engine and screwed up])
I like it, but it handles like a sofa. It’s probably me. I’m a bit gun shy and am used to dirt bikes, not road bikes. And I’m too big for the thing. I’m 6’4" and 210#.
My brother bought a 1200 sportster after I bought the 650 (that’s another story). The Harley 1200 is LIGHTER than my 650 by about 50 pounds. And I still feel too big for the bike. It just does not fit. The 1200 has plenty of power to be sure. So does my 650. The pictures of myself on either bike are just silly. It looks like the bike should be riding me.
Husband was pretty much in the same position as you (midlife, wants a bike for around town etc) and he ended up with the Honda Shadow Spirit. I know nothing about motorcycles but I do know that my spouse researches everything thoroughly (up down and sideways) before purchasing.
I went to the local Honda shop today, and they didn’t have much in stock. They are more of a dirt bike and 4 wheeler shop, so I guess it’s an out-of-town trip for me.
While I’m currently bikeless (a side effect of moving to Manhattan), I have ridden the Honda Shadow and the Sportster (both 2002 or 2003), and there’s absolutely no comparison.
Riding the Harley will have you shakin’ like a Polaroid picture as you bounce down the city streets—you’ll almost be looking for potholes to try and get a level ride—while the Shadow is smooth, sweet, and has great pickup for its size.
I tried out the Bonneville for a day last week as my onw ride was being tweaked at the dealer and this was a lender.
The engine seems ideally suited to a returnee, the delivery is fairly soft - you are not going to get into trouble with this bike, it vibrates a little as the revs go up and I never pushed it throught the vibrations to reach the power higher up, aparently, according to the dealer, the bike does go quite well when pushed but it never seemed to be the point of the bike and rather more effort is needed than I was prepared to put in just to get it to go lively.
The bike seems to make more sense cruising along in a high gear chilling rather than stressing it out.
Looking at your other preferances though, this would be worth a look.
HD’s are serious pieces of shit. The only reason an intelligent consumer would buy a Harley is if they understood that they were paying a huge premium for the image at the expense of performance and quality. I honestly can’t take anyone who rides a Harley seriously as a motorcyclist but I can muster a certain amount of respect for someone who acknowledges the truth about their motorcycle. The whole “Buy America” tripe is the mating call of the loser. Harley Davidson is the ultimate American vote for style over substance. Many people have mentioned good cruisers–I happen to be partial to the Triumphs. If you want a standard, consider an SV1000.
Amazing all the jealous people out there that lash out at Harley cause they can’t make the grade! Wimps.
If you want a smooth, comfortable ride, get a cage, preferably a Lincoln or Caddie.
If you want something that makes you feel like a Pokemon, get a crothch rocket.
If you want something to ride in comfort, something which puts out vibes that resonates with the soul of the road, get a big V-twin Harley. My personal preference is the low-rider.
And don’t believe anything anyone has to say negatively about Harley; see for yourself, don’t take the word of wimps.
Best thing to do is ride them and see. Go rent each bike in the list of those you are considering. See for yourself what makes you feel complete. I tried them all, and nothing compares to a big twin. Nothing. Other bike makers tried to emulate Harley, and were sued in court for copyright violations.
Honda makes two-wheeled cadillacs, not motorcycles. Other bikes are either emulating the Gold Wing or the Sportster. Domn;'t settle for less, go for the real thing. If there’s any doubt, let the money talk. Compare the growth of Harley-Davidson stock to the stock of any other motorcycle dealer, manufacturer or distributor.
There’s other bikes that can go off-road, but so can the Sportster, and with much more efficiency. But if you want a bike for around-town transportation, and an occasional cruise, the ultimate street bike is the Harley.